


Prettier Than The Birds

by made_of_tea



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Artist Bill Denbrough, Bill Denbrough Loves Stanley Uris, Birdwatching, Fluff, M/M, The other losers are in it but only for a second
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2021-02-12 15:06:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21478345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/made_of_tea/pseuds/made_of_tea
Summary: Stan loves birdwatching. Bill loves Stan. Stan finds out birds aren’t the only thing Bill likes to draw.
Relationships: Bill Denbrough/Stanley Uris
Comments: 10
Kudos: 144





	Prettier Than The Birds

Bill loved to draw. He was quite talented, too, which only made him love it more. He had gotten particularly skilled at drawing birds recently. He owed that to early morning bird-watching walks with Stanley. They would get up before sunrise, walk to the park that was more woods than park between their houses, and watch the birds. 

Stan would bring his field guide and binoculars, Bill brought his sketchbook and colored pencils. There was one bench that looked out on most of the trees, which they would occupy to watch the sunrise. 

Bill loved watching Stan in the sun, listening to the birdsong, identifying birds just by the unique calls and melodies they made. After two bird-watching saturdays, Bill stopped drawing just birds. 

He still drew birds, of course, just not as many. He had found something better to draw. Stanley Uris, glowing in the first rays of sunlight, practically radiating happiness and excitement. 

It had started the third time they woke up in the dark to see the birds. The sun was just rising, lighting up Stan’s hair and making it a golden yellow, illuminating his smile. Bill had thought, I wish I could keep this moment forever. Then, he had remembered he could. He drew Stan, not for the first time, but for the first time like this. While Stan was in his element, at his most cheerful. 

His drawings of Stan had gotten progressively better, sometimes it would just be his smile, or just his hazel eyes, or just his hands holding the field guide he had memorized all the information in. He never showed these drawings to Stan, whenever the boy happened to look over, he would hastily flip to one of the pages covered in birds. 

He had only drawn Stan’s full face four times, the first time in the sun, once when he had gotten a bird to land on his head and stay there, the time he had absolutely lit up at a bird he’d never seen in this part of Derry, and once again in the sun. 

Bill labeled avery picture he drew of Stan. Stan’s name, the date, and a title for what was happening. The drawings that were just an eye or a mouth were labeled with a simple S.U. No one had ever seen the drawings.

He couldn't show anyone, because it was a secret little thing he did for himself. He liked to think that maybe someday, if he ever confessed his feelings to Stan, and if Stan ever reciprocated said feelings, he would show Stan the pictures. For now, his sketchbook stayed in a locked drawer in his desk. 

After one of their birdwatching mornings, Bill invited Stan back to his house for breakfast. His parents had gone out for breakfast, and they usually went out for hours. Georgie was sleeping over at a friend’s house, and wouldn’t be back until much later.

So, they could have a nice, peaceful breakfast.   
Stan followed Bill upstairs to his room so Bill could drop off his sketchbook and pencils. Bill placed both on his desk, before running to the bathroom; he always brought a large bottle of water while bird-watching and drank the whole thing.

Stan was left alone in Bill’s room. 

He decided to look at Bill’s sketchbook, as he hadn't seen any of Bill’s bird sketches today. He flipped open the first few pages, all birds and trees, but stopped at the fourth page. He stopped because he was looking at himself. 

In the bottom corner of the page, in Bill’s neat script, it said, 

Stanley Uris, June 19, 1993, Sunrise

Stan could feel his face heating up a he continued flipping through the pages, seeing snippets of himself throughout the birds. He stopped at every full picture of himself, reading the titles.

Stanley Uris, July 27, 1993, Bird in Hair. 

That picture was his favorite, because Bill had perfectly captured his joy at the bird nesting in his curls. 

Stanley Uris, July 30, 1993, New Bird in Derry.

Stan remembered that day clearly, he had been elated at the sound of that bird’s song. 

Stanley Uris, August 11, 1993, Sunrise II. 

Bill had drawn that just last week. 

“Wh-wh-what are doing?” Stan almost jumped out of his skin at the sound of Bill’s voice. 

He whirled around, knowing his face was burning and probably an impressive shade of red, and stuttered, “I-I was just- I just wanted to see the birds- I- I shouldn't have- I’m sorry-” 

Bill’s face was bright red as he realized what Stan was holding. “I-i-it’s okay, Stan.” 

Stan relaxed at that. “I really like them, you know. You’re a very talented artist.”

“Your a v-very good m-mo-model.” Bill said quietly.   
“You’re really p-p-pretty, you know. I hope th-th-that’s not w-weird.” 

“Thank you.” Stan blushed. 

Bill decided to just go for it. “Stan, I- I r-really like y-y-you. Like th-the way Eddie l-l-likes Richie, or Ben l-likes Beverly. I h-h-have for a l-long time n-now.” 

“I’ve liked you for a long time, too, Bill.” Stan confessed. 

“C-c-can I k-kiss you?” Bill asked shyly.  
Stan nodded, stepping closer to Bill. They met in the middle, softly pressing their lips together. It was gentle and sweet and perfect. 

Bill pulled back when he felt Stan smile into the kiss. 

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that, Bill.” Stan whispered against his lips. 

“I’ve w-wanted that since e-ei-eighth grade.” Bill confessed. 

Stan turned red as a robin’s chest and kissed Bill again. They both startled out of the kiss at the sound of pebbles being thrown at Bill’s window. 

Bill walked over and opened the window to see Richie and Eddie on his lawn and throwing pebbles. Mike, Ben and Beverly stood by the curb. 

“Big Bill! Stan the Man! How nice of you to finally acknowledge us! You were busy making out and forgot that we’re going to the quarry!” Richie shouted up at them. 

Stan flipped him off and Bill chuckled. “Give us a second!” Stan called down. Bill closed the window.

“A-are we gonna t-tell them?” Bill asked.

“Do you want to?” Stan countered.

Bill thought for a moment. “Yeah. I-if that’s alright w-with you.” 

“Yeah.” Stan agreed. Bill pecked him on the lips one last time and they went downstairs to meet up with their friends. 

Their friends didn’t bat an eye at the news, Richie just made several dirty jokes that were quickly met with ‘beep beeps’. Bill continued to draw Stan, showing him when they were done. 

They also continued birdwatching, but Bill stopped drawing birds completely. 

Why draw birds when there was a person right next to him who was prettier than the birds?


End file.
